US senators introduce bill barring Trump from annexing NATO territory

US lawmakers have introduced legislation that would bar US President Donald Trump's administration from annexing, occupying, or otherwise controlling the territory of a NATO ally without the consent of the partner nation.

The proposal, put forward by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen on Tuesday, comes amid Trump's reported interest in Greenland, a Danish territory.

The senators warned that any attempt to seize Greenland would violate the NATO treaty, weaken alliance cohesion and undermine efforts to counter threats from Russia and China.

"NATO remains the most successful defensive alliance in history, and its credibility rests on the shared understanding that member states' sovereignty will be respected and defended by one another," the senators said.

It was initially unclear whether the bill has a realistic chance of passing the Senate and later the House of Representatives.

The bill would prevent the administration from using funds from the defence or state departments to carry out actions against NATO territory. A similar bipartisan measure has also been introduced in the House of Representatives, supported by more than 20 lawmakers, though its chances of passage are uncertain.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen have repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale and cannot be annexed.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said it believes Greenland should come under US control, citing security interests, the island's mineral resources and a perceived threat from China and Russia in the region.